Gun lock



Nov. 3, 1964 A. R. STEWART 3,154,874

GUN LOCK Filed March 26, 1963 3 he shee l -INVENTOR. AL B ERT STEWARTNov. 3, 1964 A. R. STEWART 3,154,874

GUN LOCK Filed March 26, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGS INVENTOR. ALBE RT R.STEWART f wdgjf Nov. 3, 1964 A. R. STEWART 3,154,874

GUN LOCK Filed March 26, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. ALBE RT R.STEWART United States Patent 3,154,874 GUN LOCK Albert R. Stewart, 4920Wilshire Blvd, Lincoln, Nebr. Filed Mar..26, 1963,.Ser. No. 268,534 1Claim. ((11. 42-4 The present invention relates to safety devices forfirearms, :a ndin particular an extensible sleeve freely inserted inagun barrel and designed to be expanded by a key for clamping the partsin the gun barrel.

The purpose of this invention is to make it substantially impossible fora firearm to be accidentally fired.

Various types of locks have been incorporated in tirearms. However,substantially anyone familiar with firearms knowswhere to look for abutton or lever that in stantlyactuates the lock of a firearm to releasethe trigger or hammer. Such locks only prevent a gun being accidentallyfired by mechanical means, and do not prevent the gun being fired by achild or other unauthorized person.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a lock for a gunwhich prevents a shell or cartridge being placed in the gun barrel.

Another object of the invention .is to provide a gun lockwhich is notattached to the gun or parts thereof.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a lock for agun, in which the lock may be installed by the average layman.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a gun lock that issubstantially impossible to remove without a key.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lock for a gun inwhich the lock does not mar or otherwise damage the gun.

A still further object is to provide a gun lock which is of a simple andeconomical construction.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention willbe apparent from the following detailed description, drawings and claim,the scope of the invention not being limited to the drawings themselvesas the drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating a method bywhich the principles of this invention can be applied.

Other embodiments of the invention utilizing the same or equivalentprinciples may be used and structural changes may be made as desired bythose skilled in the art without departing from the present inventionand the purview of the appended claim.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a gun with the lock of thisinvention shown in dotted lines in the inner end of the barrel.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view showing the extensible sleeve of the gunlock with the parts shown on an enlarged scale.

FIGURE 3 is a view showing a tool for actuating the lock from the muzzleof a gun barrel, part of the stem of the tool being broken away.

FIGURE 4 is a view showing a tool for actuating the gun lock from thechamber or breech of a firearm.

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal section through the tip of a hexagonal lockactuating key taken on line 55 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a cross section through the key shown in FIGURE 5, beingtaken on line 66 thereof.

FIGURE 7 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the relativepositions of the part of the lock.

FIGURE 8 is an end elevational view showing the head of the lock bolt.

FIGURE 9 is a longitudinal section through the head of the lock bolt,taken on line 99 of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is an end elevational view .of the gun lock assembly showingthe lock in a gun barrel.

FIGURE 11 is a longitudinal section through the lock assembly taken online .11-11 of FIGURE 10 showing the lock positioned to be actuated byan angle tool from the chamber or breach of a gun.

FIGURE .12 is a longitudinal section, similar .to that shown in FIGURE11, taken on line 12-12 of FIG- URE 10, and showing the lock assemblypositioned to be actuated from the muzzle of a gun.

While one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theabove-referred-to drawings, it is to be understood that they are merelyfor the purpose .of illustration and that various changes inconstruction may be resorted to in the course of manufacture in orderthat the invention may be utilized to the best advantage according tocircumstances which may arise, without in any manner .departing from thespirit and intention of the device, which is to be limited only inaccordance with the appended claims. And While there is stated theprimary field of utility of the invention it remains obvious that it maybe employed in any other capacity wherein it may be found applicable.

In the accompanying drawings, and in the following specification, thesame reference characters are used to designate the same parts andelements throughout, and in which the numeral 10 refers to the inventionin its entirety, numeral 12 indicating the lock sleeve or housing,numeral 14 indicating the lock bolt, numeral 16 indicating an inner conein which the lock bolt is threaded, numeral 18 indicating an outer conewhich is provided with a counterbore 2% in which the lock bolt head 22is positioned, and numeral '24 indicating a spring for urging the conesoutwardly.

One end of the lock sleeve 12 is provided with a rim 26 that limitsinward movement of the sleeve into a gun barrel '28, and the body of thesleeve is provided with elongated slots 30 and 32 that extend inwardlyfrom the rim, to points 34, and slots 36 and 38 that extend inwardlyfrom the opposite end to points 40. The inner cone 16 is provided with afollower 42 to prevent rotation thereof, and the follower extends intoone of the slots 36 or 38. The inner or small end of the cone 16 isprovided with a threaded bore 44 which receives the threaded end 46 ofthe lock bolt 14.

The cone 13 is provided with a follower 48 and the follower 48 extendsinto one of the slots 36' or 32. The counterbore 20 in the end of thecone 18 is positioned to receive the head of the lock bolt, and the headof the lock bolt is provided with a recess 50 that is provided with flatsides, and the recess is formed to receive a straight key 52, shown inFIGURE 3, or an angle key 54, shown in FIGURE 4.

An opening 56 is provided in the center of the recess 50 and a centeringpin 58 with a beveled outer end 66 is mounted in the opening. The keys52 and 54 are provided with center receiving sockets 62 and as keys areapplied to the lock the centering pin guides the key so that the flatsides of the key mesh with the flat sides of the socket. The end surfaceof the lock bolt head 22 is provided with a beveled edge 64, and similarbeveled edges 66 and 68 are provided on the ends of the keys 52 and 54,respectively.

The inner, or large end of the cone or plug 16 is provided with athreaded bore, of a smaller diameter than the bore 44, as indicated bythe numeral 70, and the bore 70 is positioned to receive a threaded studon the end of a cleaning rod, so that the lock may be actuated by acleaning rod if desired.

As illustrated in FIGURE 3, the key 52 may be secured to the end of acleaning rod 72, and the cleaning rod may be provided with a handle 74.The key 54 may also be secured in an angle head 76, and the head 76 maybe provided with a handle 78, as shown in FIG- URE 4.

The inner surface of the sleeve 12 is provided with a bore 80 andtapering end sections 82 and 84 which coact with outer surfaces 86 and88 of the cones 16 and 18, respectively.

The tapering sleeve inner surface end sections 82 and 84 have oppositelytapering inner surfaces and are arranged in two longitudinally spacedareas of the inner side of the sleeve and the head 22 of the lock boltcan be regarded as a means engageable with the other cone 18 from thecone 16 in which the bolt is threadedly engaged in. a manner for movingthe cones to expand the sleeve in a gun barrel.

As best seen in FIGURE 11, it will be seen that the slots are arrangedin two groups, a first group 30 and a second group 32, the slots of thegroup 30 open at a first end of the sleeve (the right end as shown inFIGURE 11), but terminate before reaching the opposite end of thesleeve.

Slots of the second group 32 open at the opposite end of the sleeve fromthe slots of the first group 30 and terminate before reaching theopposite end of the sleeve from that end at which they open. The slotsof both groups 30 and 32 extend inwardly from the ends of the sleevebeyond the cone adjacent their open ends respectively.

Operation The gun lock may be made to be used in a gun of any size, suchas a 22 gage rifle or piston to a 16 inch cannon, and may be operatedfrom either the chamber or muzzle of the barrel. The lock assembly isinserted in the chamber end of the gun barrel, either as shown in FIGURE11, or as shown in FIGURE 12, and as the lock bolt is actuated by theangle key 54, shown in broken lines in FIGURE 11, or by a straight key52, as shown in FIGURE 12, the cones or plugs 16 and 18 are drawntogether exbolt.

l panding the lock sleeve 12, and positively locking the assembly in thegun barrel.

It will be appreciated that it would be substantially impossible toremove the lock from a gun barrel without a key of the proper size, andwith the lock in position it would be impossible to insert a cartridgein the firearm.

It will be seen that the spring 24 is adapted to urge the cones 16 and18 outwardly into positions for allowing the sleeve to contract wheneverthe cones are no longer drawn together by the bolt 14.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a gunlock constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly welladapted for use, by reason of the convenience and facility with which itmaybe assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that myinvention is susceptible of some change and modification withoutdeparting from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason Ido not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precisearrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carryingout my invention in practice, except as claimed.

What is claimed is:

In a gun lock, the combination which comprises a sleeve havinglongitudinally positioned slots extending transversely therethrough,said sleeve having oppositely tapering inner surfaces in twolongitudinally spaced areas thereof, two opposed cones with tapering'outer surfaces positioned in said sleeve to coact with the respectivetapering inner surfaces thereof, a lock bolt threaded in one of thecones and having means engageable with the other cone in a manner formoving the cones to expand the sleeve in a gun barrel, and resilientmeans for actuating the cones to positions for allowing the sleeve tocontract, and means for actuating the lock References Cited in the fileof this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS Young Nov. 21, 1950 Pula et a1June 3, 1958 Maisch May 24, 1960

